It’s the year my kid gets to pick out new furniture in her room now that she’s graduating from a convertible crib to a Big Kid Bed. I’m hoping some of Ikea’s new Brännboll gaming collection, which launches in September, catches her eye. Ikea says the new furniture is inspired “by the evolving and diverse needs of gamers and those who live with them.” All gamers seem represented, from the esports trainers to cozy gamers who love to lounge around in their most comfortable pair of sweatpants.
If you’re a fan of the original Real World series from the glory days of MTV, you’ll notice some of the furniture has a distinctly ‘90s aesthetic. Some designs are a bit abstract, like the wall-mounted display cabinets and the 8-bit ska rug. The textiles harken back to a time when we were less online. Ikea even revived the inflatable chair from that era.
We don’t know how much this collection will cost or the official names of the furniture. Ikea will likely spill the deets closer to the collection’s arrival date. Until then, here’s an entirely subjective ranking of Brännboll based on what I hope my kid will pick out for her eventual room remodel.
